Means for controlling flush-tank valves



July 17, 1923.

E. GJHEDGES ET AL Misms FOR CONTROLLING FLUSH TANK VALVES Filad uay 1 4 v 1921 z'yi.

Patented-July 17,1923.

UNITED; STATES" EDWARIDG. HEDGES, or NEWARK, AND WALTER annoy or'BLooMrIE n, NEW

means FFic I FATE " J RSEY.

V MEANS roe 'conrnonrime FLUSH-TANK VALVES. I

Application'filedMay 1.4, 1921. serial No. 462,546.

Z '0 all whom it mag ronoem. I

Be it known that we, EDWARD G. Hmong residing at 271 Belleville Avenue, Newark; county of Essex, and State ofNew Jersey, and VVALTER W. H EROYy residing at 28 FlorenceAvenue, Bloomfield, county of Essex; and State of New Jersey both citizens of the United States,have inventedcertain newand useful Improvements in Means for Controlling Flush-Tank Valves, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying draw, ings, forming apart of: the same.

' The present invention relates to an improvedmeans of operating a float-valve to and from the, outlet-"seat of a. fiushtank, and

' tents of the tank adjacent 'tothe outlet-seat,

and the buoyancy of the float when raised in the column holding it stationary above the outlet-seat until thecharge in the tank is lowered to the desired point. 1

The atmospheric-support which'the air affords to the column ofwater is then broken by the lowering of the water-ch arge, and the float-valve is lowered to its seat and; closes the outlet during therefilling of the tank. To facilitate the escape of the column of water when lowering the valve to the outletseat, the columnis provided at its upper end with an air-passage which is normally closed by the fioatmalve, and through whichthe" air is permitted to operate upon the upper end of'the column as soon as the float-valve commences to move downwardly.

.- Thismethod of operating a float-valve will be understood byreference to the annexed drawing, in whichFig. 1 is an elevation of 'a fiush-tank with the nearer side re moved, and the float or outlet-valve raised to discharge the tank; Fig. is a central vertical section of the water-chamber which is'attached to the outlet-seat, and retains the columnof water. over said" seat during the discharge of the tank; Fig. 3 is a plan of I the outlet-seat; Fig. ishowsthe 'lowerend v of the water-chamber; Fig. 5 shows an al-' ternative form for thewater-lnlets of the chamberi; and Fig. 6.1s a section on a line between the numerals'66 in Fig. 5, the

beginning and end of such line beingshown byv dots, and the intermediate portion of the line omitted, looking downward. I

Adesignates the flush-tank in Fig. l, and Btheoutlet to the closet-bowl which is controlled by the'float-valve QC. Dis the sup ply-pipe extended into the body of the tank and provided upon the top with a supplyvalve E controlled by-the valve-lever F.

The outlet is formed, as-shown in F igs. Qand 3, with an annular seat a upon which the fio'at-valverests when the tankis emptied.

The float-valve C, as shown in Fig. 2, is a spherical ball which may be of hollow india-rubber so as to readily float,' and soft enough to make a tight joint when resting upon the valve-seat.

' An inverted water-chamber G is shown attached to the tank-outlet by lugs bupon both, connected by screws Vb; The ordinary overflow-pipeB is connected to the outlet B bya passage B belowthe v valve-seat, asv shown in Fig.

ater-inlets c arejshown formed in the wall of the chamber near the valve-seat a through which all the. water is discharged I from the-tank to'the outlet B.

.The air-passage-f is shown in the top of the chamber Gto vent the chamber when the water-inlets c are exposed to the atmosphere by the emptying of the tank; and the floatvalve C has arod gsecured to the valve and projected upwardly through the ,passage,' the rod passing loosely throughthe'passage, and being connected to any usual or suitable means for raising the'float-valvefrom its seat for discharging the water from the tank. Such jmeans are showntat 7t and f in Fig. 1'.-

water, and filled internally through the inlets '0, and through the air-passage f',. which would be open when the valve C is'closed to fillthe tank.

Such position of the valveis indicated by a dottedcircle C in Fig.2." The support of the floatwalve upon the column in-the 1 mb dependent of the lev l of. the

v I 10o When the tank is filled to its normal level, as in Fig. 1. thecha-mber Gr is covered with Water exterior to the chamber, is illustrated in Fig. 2' Where the valve is shown seated against the air-passage f, and the waterlevel of the tank much lower as indicated by the line 7:, and escaping through the water-inlet c to the outlet B.

vVith such conditions the watercoln'mn is sustained and held stationary above the level of the valve-seat so long as the air has no access to the chamber through the inlet 6 or passage 7.

The float-valve is constructed at its upper end to close the air-passage f and at its lower end to close the water-outlet b of the tank, and the float-valve thus operates to perform two different functions.

' When the charge in the tank is lowered to the level of the inlets, air enters the chamber therethrough, and the water-column immediately loses its atmospheric support and flows directly to the outlet B, causing the valve G to rapidly descend or drop upon the seat a. This terminates the discharge M of the tank, and permits it to be immediately refilled by the supply-pipe D.

If it be desired to empty the tank to a lower level the water-inlets may be constructed at the level of the seat a or below such seat. v

Fig. 5'shows a construction in which the wall of the chamber extends below the level of the valveseat a nearly to the bottom of the tank, the chamber being attached to a ring Z around the mouth of the out-let.

' In such case no inlets are formed through the wall of the chamber but the water is compelled to escape to the outlet B through notches Z in the edge of the ring; (See Fig. 6.)

lViththis construction, the valve cannot fall, or the water-column be discharged until the' water in the tank falls to the lower end of the chamber, so that the air enters the chamber through the notches Z and.

causes the water and the valve to descend in the chamber.

The supporting of the float-valve above the valve-seat during the discharge of the tank affords a much freer passage to the outlet than if the valve followed the level of the escaping charge, and would obstruct the tank-outlet before the entire discharge was fully effected.

This advantage, as well as the seating of the valve by a rapid fall, results from the provision of the air-valve upon the floatval've, which retains the water-column in the water-chamber until the tank is emptied.

'It will be observed that the float-valve of this invention differs from all others used in flush-tanks, in having its upper and lower ends both fitted toclose an air or waterpassage; and it may thus be termed a double ended valve. I

This construction performs two functions;

the level of the outlet.

The operation of the invention depends upon the enclosing of a column of water over the outlet-seat with a water-inlet near said seat, so that a flush-valve may be sustained by its buoyancy upon such column of water during the lowering of the charge in the tank. The invention therefore includes animproved method of operating a fioat valve in a flush-tank, and the means for practicing such method. It is obvious that the process and apparatus described herein can be employed in any tank or receptacle having an outlet float-valve. The apparatus would also operate the same if used for flushing or supplying a charge of water to any receptacle.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention What is claimed herein is:

1. The combination, with a tank-outlet having a seat, ofan inverted water-chamber above the seat with an air-passage at its top and water-inlet near the seat, afloatvalve movable Within the water-chamber, a rod attached to the top of the float-valve and extended loosely through the air-passage,' and the float-valve having an airvalve fitted to close the air-passage, the con fined water-column operating during the entire emptying of the tank to maintain and press the air-valve against the air-pas sage until the tank is emptied, such emptyingadmitting air to the water-inlet near the seat and causing the sudden automatic dropping of the float-valve to the seat, to permit the refilling of the tank.

2. The combination, with a tank-outlet having a seat, of an inverted water-chamber sustained above the seat with air passage at its top and water-inlet near the seat, a float-valve freely movable between the outlet-seat and the air-passage, a lifting-rod attached to the float-valve and extended loosely through the airpassage, and the fioat-valve having an air-valve fitted to close the space between the rod and the'sides of the passage, the float-valve being pressed normally upon the valve-seat when the tank is filled, and the buoyancy of the float-valve operating during the emptying of the tank to sustain and press the air-valve against the air-passage until the tank is emptied, such emptying causing the sudden automatic dropping of the float-valve against the said seat, to permit the refilling of the tank.

3. The combination, with a tank-outlet having a seat, of an inverted water-chamber upon the seat with an air-passage at its top and. water inlet near the seat, a float-valve freely movable betweenthe outlet-seat and the air-passage, and seated normally upon the valve-seat when the tank is filled, a rod attached to the float-valve and extended loosely through the air-passage, and the float-valve having an air-valve adapted to close the air-passage, the float-valve being held stationary in the upper part of the Water-chamber by its buoyancy, and by the closing of the air-passage during the entire emptying of the tank, the admission of air into the lower part of the Water-chamber then releasing the water therein and permitting the float-valve to drop suddenly and close the Water-outlet. p

4. The combination, With a tank-outlet When lifted, to maintain a water-column in the Water-chamber and retain the water'- valve at the top of the said chamber during the emptying of the tank.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands; I I EDWARD G. HEDGES? WALTER WV. 'HEROY. 

